Many of the more than 1 million migrants entering Europe since 2015 are refugees, particularly from Syria. But once they’ve left their life in a war zone behind, in Europe they risk becoming a slave.

Risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft released its annual report that addresses modern slavery, an umbrella term for those forced into labour, servitude, and the trafficking of people. It assesses 198 countries on their law enforcement and legal structures, effectiveness of their enforcement, and severity of violations.

The five out of the 28 EU member states that pose the highest risk for modern slavery are Romania, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Bulgaria.

While North Korea, Syria, and South Sudan ranked the worst on this scale, nearly three-quarters of EU countries saw slavery risks increase over the last year.

The five out of the 28 EU member states that pose the highest risk for modern slavery are Romania, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Bulgaria. These are key countries where migrants and refugees either arrive or transit through on their way elsewhere in Europe. Italy, for example, has taken 85% of the 100,000 migrants that arrived by sea so far in 2017. Verisk Maplecroft said that “expects the risk of modern slavery to worsen in Italy over the next year, with agriculture a sector of concern.”

And while migrant arrivals have dropped dramatically in Greece, it remains a hub for human trafficking, the consultancy warns.

“The presence of these vulnerable migrant populations in the primary countries of arrival is a key contributor for increases in slavery across multiple sectors in the region, such as agriculture, construction and services,” according to the report.

Are the world’s most vulnerable refugees missing out on Australia’s humanitarian programme?

Less than one third of people granted visas through Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Programme are being referred by UNHCR, according to information obtained through an FOI request. So how are the majority refugees coming to Australia if not via UNHCR?

Refugees are helping others in their situation as social entrepreneurs

Social enterprises set up by refugees are also helping countries to overcome some of the challenges of economic and social integration of new arrivals.

Stories About Hope: The art exhibition detailing the experiences of queer people from refugee backgrounds

“When people ask you to share your story, they think that they come from this well-intentioned place of ‘raising awareness’, but the only thing it does is re-traumatise you because you have to relive that experience,” says Tina. “What the listener gets out of this is one of two things: affirmation of feeling ‘lucky’ to live in Australia, or, vicarious traumatisation because our experience is something beyond their comprehension.”